On Sunday in the early hours, the Manipur state police stated that ‘In an attack on security forces in strife-torn Manipur, two Central Reserve Police Force(CRPF) personnel were killed and two were injured in a militant attack in the Naraseina area of Bishnupur district in Manipur.’
The incident occured just six days after the one-year aniversary of the conflict that erupted between Meitei and Kuki tribes in the northeastern area.
How did the attack occur?
A source stated that the militant attack took place during the night between 12 and 2:15 am when a group of suspected Kuki militants started firing from a hillside near the Naraseina village towards the valley region by targeting the central security force post.
The conflict became more serious when a bomb exploded near the outpost which resulted in some serious injuries for four CRPF(Central Reserve Police Force) personnel. Despite immediate medical attention, two personnel succumbed to death from their injuries while the other two were receiving medical attention.
A senior police officer stated that ‘The militants fired indiscriminately from hilltops, targetting the camp. It started around 12.30 am and continued till about 2.15 am. The militants also hurled bombs, one of which exploded in the outpost of CRPF’s 128 battalion.’
A police source stated that ‘the attack comes six days before the first anniversary of the start of the Manipur crisis and militants hiding in hills are likely to increase attacks in the coming days.’
A report also stated that the Kuki militants used a basic artillery weapon known as the ‘pumpi-gun‘ to start their assault on the Indian Reserve Battalion(IRB) Camp in Manipur.
Who are the CRPF Personnels Killed In Manipur?
The two dead CRPF personnels belonged to the ‘128 Battalion‘ of the Central Reserve Police Force(CRPF) which is stationed near the Naraseina area of Bishnupur district in Manipur and were identified as sub-inspector N Sarkar and head constable Arup Saini.
While the other two injured were identified as inspector Jadhav Das and constable Aftab Das both of them received splinter wounds.
The CRPF(Central Reserve Police Force) was deployed to provide security and protect the IRB(Indian Reserve Battalion) Camp from any imminent dangers and terrorist threats following the poll duty in the state.
The police stated that ‘a massive search operation is currently underway to identify and catch the perpetrators of the attack.’
The police further stated that ‘The attacked IRB camp is located 2 km away from the hills which is close to the Upper Canal, an area where central security forces have been deployed since it was designated a sensitive area after a violence broke out in Manipur last year in May.’
The attack occurred at a time when the northeastern State was voting in the ongoing national elections where there are two Lok Sabha constituencies in Manipur: Inner Manipur and Outer Manipur.
The Clash Between Meteis and Kukis Tribes Last Year
It is not the first time, the Kuki militants were engaged in a situation, they also battled the Meiteis tribe last year in May which ended with 200 civilian casualties with 50,000 people who have been homeless after the conflict.
The tensions between both tribes began when the Kukis people began to protest against the demands by the ruling Meiteis tribes for official tribal recognition as the Kuki people argued and stated that ‘they would strengthen their already strong influence on government and society, allowing them to buy land or settle in predominantly Kuki areas.’
The tension reached a boiling point when the BJP-led state government considered placing the Meitei community on the list of the Scheduled Tribes(ST) a proposal which made the Kuki people angry and they started the war on the Meitei community.
The BJP-led state and central government were largely criticized for its actions after Chief Minister N Biren Singh demanded resignation from the opposition party and the society.
Who are the Meitei and Kuki?
The Meitei tribe are people who have origins in Manipur, Myanmar, and the surrounding areas. They mainly follow the Hindu religion while some of them follow the Sanamahi religion named after Meitei God ‘Lainingthou Sanamahi’. They live in the capital city Imphal in Manipur.
The Kuki people are mostly Christians and also have origins in Manipur, Myanmar, and the surrounding northeastern states. They live around the surrounding hill regions of Imphal.
